Silent film music is a branch of dramatic music. The principles by which music responds to, reinforces, and amplifies drama on stage in opera or ballet apply equally to music which accompanies dramatic events on screen. At its finest, silent film music is a partner with the film, as sound and image work together to create dramatic expression.

Composing and performing new music for silent film is an important area of my work.

As Resident Film Accompanist at the National Gallery of Art and regularly-featured accompanist at the Library of Congress’ Mt. Pony Theater, I perform improvised piano and organ scores. I also create fully-notated scores for silent film for live performance and DVD release.

I have performed my silent film scores at the Giornate del Cinema Muto in Pordenone, Italy, the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center, Sala Cecelia Meireles in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the Kennedy Center, and many other venues.

I also explore film and video as part of a larger theatrical context: cabaret, musical theater, opera. The
Comic Roach: A Roadhouse Picture Show , which premiered at the 2009 Capital Fringe Festival , is an example of embedding silent film within a larger theatrical production (a “film-cabaret”).